A triumphant return for one of the game’s cherished stars.
In Game 3 of the Central Division Semifinals between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, the packed house in Denver’s Ball Arena saw the return of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who was playing in his first NHL game in 1,032 days.
The crowd was already going crazy for their on-ice leader, chanting Landeskog’s name during warmups.
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar stated earlier on Wednesday that there was a “good chance” that Landeskog would make his long-awaited return to the lineup. The 32-year-old was activated off injured reserve prior Game 2 on Monday.
The crowd obviously understood the magnitude of the situation. The last time they saw No. 92 donning an Avs sweater was when he was lifting the Stanley Cup after Game 6 of the 2022 final. Since then, Landeskog had to have arthroscopic knee surgery that offseason, with setbacks forcing him to miss the entire 2022-23 season, including the playoffs. In May 2023, the team announced he would undergo another procedure on his knee, a cartilage transplant, and would miss all of last season, including the playoffs.
“Until I’ve exhausted every option, I’m just going to continue pushing forward,” Landeskog said. “I’m confident in the player I am. I’m confident in the athlete I am.”
Landeskog wasn’t totally rusty in rejoining the team. He played two games for the Avs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Colorado Avalanche, scoring a goal and an assist almost two weeks ago.
The series between the division rivals is level at a game apiece as it shifts to the Mile High City, thanks to the Avalanche winning Game 1 last weekend and the Stars winning in overtime two days ago.
The Swedish center has spent his entire NHL career in Colorado, serving as team captain since the 2013 season. Across 11 seasons, Landeskog has appeared in 738 games, scoring 248 goals and 323 assists for a total of 571 points. He’s also registered 67 points in 89 postseason games.
